2011 Las Vegas Film Festival Rolls into Town July 14-17 at Las Vegas HiltonFestival Brings International Films to Las Vegas Entertainment Scene

(LAS VEGAS) — The 2011 Las Vegas Film Festival is set to roll July 14 through 17, 2011 at the Las Vegas Hilton. The four-day event will showcase more than 40 original films and documentaries, adding a touch of culture and creativity to the Las Vegas entertainment scene.

“The Las Vegas Film Festival is gaining an international reputation for its vibrant film selections,” said City of Las Vegas Mayor Oscar Goodman. “This year’s festival is sure to be an amazing event that draws fans from around the world to our exciting city.”

Kicking off this year’s festival is the Las Vegas premiere of The Story, produced by The Ski Channel and starring ski legends and Olympic gold medalists Bode Miller and Lindsay Vonn. “The best ski film I have ever seen,” said professional free skier and world-record cliff jumper, Jamie Pierre. Prior to the premiere, there will be a red carpet with celebrities and filmmakers from this year’s festival. A VIP party will follow the premiere at Benihana Village inside the Las Vegas Hilton.

Also on the schedule is a celebrity tribute and award presentation to actor and cult icon Michael Madsen, star of Reservoir Dogs, Donnie Brasco and Kill Bill. Madsen is participating in a moderated discussion about his career and an audience Q&A following a special screening of his film Vice. This event is free to the public for the first 500 tickets reserved at www.lvfilmfest.com.

There will also be another special tribute to celebrity animator Chuck Jones – Looney Tunes, Tom and Jerry and How The Grinch Stole Christmas! – featuring screenings of a collection of his famous work followed by a conversation and audience Q&A about the man many consider to be the greatest cartoonist of all time.

New to this year’s festival is an industry networking dinner at Five-Star rated Piero’s restaurant. Several scenes from Martin Scorsese’s film Casino were shot in Piero’s, which was the actual restaurant that the real-life characters played by Robert De Niro and Joe Pesci frequented along with members of the Rat Pack and other celebrities. Tickets are $95 and are available on a first-come, first-served basis.

For the second year in a row, the festival will include two student film blocks showcasing a collection of short films by student filmmakers from the University of Nevada, Las Vegas and the College of Southern Nevada.

In addition to the film screenings, the festival will host exclusive Las Vegas premieres, red carpet parties, VIP parties and galas, interactive filmmaker panels, a screenplay competition and a closing awards ceremony. The festival will showcase award-winning feature films, shorts, foreign films, documentaries, and animation highlighting the talents of some of the newest and brightest cinematic innovators from around the world.

“This year’s festival will bring some of the very finest independent cinema from around the world to Las Vegas,” said Festival Director Milo Kostelecky. “We’re showcasing a diverse range of award-winning films with something for everyone while promoting Las Vegas as a major filmmaking destination.”

All films will be competing for several prestigious festival awards sponsored by Vegas Seven, Southwest Printers, Ambhar Tequila and TY KU.

Tickets for the festival will be $8 for individual screenings and $25 for a five-film mini pass. In addition, the festival will offer all-day film passes for $50, an all-access pass for $100 and an all-access plus pass for $150. Special discounts are available for students and seniors. For a full schedule of events and to purchase tickets to film screenings, filmmaker panels and parties, please visit www.lvfilmfest.com.

About the Las Vegas Film FestivalThe Las Vegas Film Festival is one of Las Vegas’ premier film events taking place annually in the heart of the entertainment capital of the world. Dedicated to showcasing the finest American and international cinema the world has to offer, its mission is to bridge the gap between independent film audiences and filmmakers, as well as to connect emerging filmmakers with established industry professionals. For further information on the festival, visit www.lvfilmfest.com or call (702) 463-4707.